Closure latch

ABSTRACT

A door lock includes a main frame having spaced side flanges. An operating lever is intermediately pivoted to the main frame between the side flanges, and the arms of the lever are respectively connected to the inside remote handle and outside release handle. The lever further includes a laterally extending arm to which is pivoted one end of an intermittent member having a laterally extending tab at the free end thereof. A locking lever is pivoted to the side flanges of the frame for movement between locked and unlocked positions and is located in each position by the cooperative action of an overcenter type torsion spring and the engagement of shoulders of the lever with a tab of the frame. The locking lever includes an arcuate slot in which is received the tab of the intermittent member. An inverted fork bolt is mounted on the frame for movement between latched and unlatched positions and a detent for the bolt is also pivoted to the main frame and includes a lateral arm. The locking lever slot in the unlocked position of such lever proscribes a path about the detent pivot. Movement of the operating lever when the locking lever is in unlocked position bodily shifts the intermittent member and engages the intermittent member tab with the detent arm to release the detent When the locking lever is in locked position, the slot thereof pivots the intermittent lever about the operating lever so that the intermittent member tab bypasses the detent arm.

United States Patent Cockburn [451 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] CLOSURE LATCHStanley D. Cockbum, 4713 Lutz Drive, Warren, Mich. 48092 [22] Filed:Oct. 28, 1970' [21] Appl. No.: 84,763

[72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl ..292/216, 292/DIG. 26, 292/DIG. 27 [51] Int. Cl ..E05c 3/26[58] Field of Search.2 92/2l6, 280, DIG. 26, DIG. 27

Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attorney-W. E. Finken and HerbertFurman [5 7] ABSTRACT A door lock includes a main frame having spacedside flanges. An operating lever is intermediately pivoted to the mainframe between the side flanges, and the arms of the lever arerespectively connected to the inside remote handle and outside releasehandle. The lever further includes a laterally extending arm to which ispivoted one end of an intermittent member having a laterally extendingtab at the free end thereof. A locking lever is pivoted to the sideflanges of the frame for movement between locked and unlocked positionsand is located in each position by the cooperative action of anovercenter type torsion spring and the engagement of shoulders of thelever with a tab of the frame. The locking lever includes an arcuateslot in which is received the tab of the intermittent member. Aninverted fork bolt is mounted on the frame for movement between latchedand unlatched positions and a detent for the bolt is also pivoted to themain frame and includes a lateral arm. The locking lever slot in theunlocked position of such lever proscribes a path about the detentpivot. Movement of the operating lever when the locking lever is inunlocked position bodily shifts the intermittent member and engages theintermittent member tab with the detent arm to release the detent Whenthe locking lever is in locked position, the slot thereof pivots theintermittent lever about the operating lever so that the intermittentmember tab bypasses the detent arm.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CLOSURE LATCH This invention relates toclosure latches and more particularly to vehicle body door locks of thetype including a coupling member for selectively coupling and uncouplingand operating member and a detent for the latch bolt.

One of the features of the lock of this invention is that the operatingmember includes a laterally extending arm to which is pivoted anintermittent member having a laterally extending tab, with the tab beingselectively positioned in the path of an arm of a pivoted detent by alocking lever having a slot receiving the tab and generally proscribinga path about the detent pivot. Another feature of this invention is thatthe locking lever is movable between an unlocked position wherein theslot thereof proscribes such path about the detent pivot and a lockedposition wherein the slot positions the intermittent tab out of the pathof the detent arm so that the intermittent member tab bypasses the armof the detent.

These and other features of the door lock of this invention will bereadily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial view of a vehicle body embodying a door lockaccording to this invention:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken generally along the plane indicated byline 2-2 of Fig. l; and

FIG. 3 is a broken away perspective view.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vehicle bodydesignated generally includes a front door 12 hinged at its forward edge14 to the body 10 for movement between a closed position as shown and anopen position, not shown. A door lock 16 according to this invention ismounted on the interior of the rear or lock pillar wall of door 12 forengagement with a conventional cooperating headed striker pin, notshown, on the adjacent lock pillar wall of the rear quarter structure ofthe body to hold the door 12 in closed position.

As shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, the lock 16 includes a main frame 18 having aplurality of threaded embossments 20 which receive bolts, not shown,extending through the lock pillar wall of door 12 to thereby mount theframe 18 on the interior of such wall. An inverted fork-type bolt 22 ispivoted at 24 to the frame 18 for movement between latched position, asshown, and unlatched position as will be described. A coil tensionspring 26 hooked between the bolt 22 and a notched lateral tab 28 of theframe 18 continually biases the bolt clockwise to unlatched position.The bolt is located in unlatched position by the engagement of theoutboard leg 30 thereof with an edge 32 of a stepped cutout 34 in alateral side flange 36 of frame 18. The cutout 34 merges into agenerally U-shaped cutout 38 in frame 18 which is aligned with a likecutout in the lock pillar wall of door 12 to provide for entrance of thehead and shank of a conventional striker pin, schematically shown at 40in FIG. 3, into the frame 18 for cooperation with the bolt. When thebolt is in latched position as shown, the shank of the striker pin isreceived within the bolt throat and the head of the striker pin isreceived between a conventional slidable shoe 42 and an upper ramp 44,FIG. 2, of an auxiliary frame 46. Frame 46 includes a plurality oflateral tabs 48 which are staked to the frame 18 to secure the frame 46thereto in spaced relationship.

A detent 50 is pivoted at 52 to the frame 18 and includes an arm 54having a foot 56. Foot 56'is engageable with either a shoulder 58 or ashoulder 60 of the bolt 22 to thereby respectively maintain the bolt ineither fully latched position as shown or secondary latched position,clockwise of the position shown. The frame 18 is shown in FIG. 2 asincluding a spaced pair of lanced apertured lateraltabs 62 which receivean intermediately flanged pin 64 therethrough. A coil compression spring66 surrounds the pin 64 and seats between the upper tab 62 and theflange of the pin to thereby bias the pin downwardly and into engagementwith the arm 54 of detent 50. This in turn biases the arm 54 intoengagement with-a rubber bumper 68 conventionally secured to a lancedlateral tab of the frame 18 .to thereby locate the detent 50 in detentedposition as shown and resist clockwise movement thereof to undetentedposition wherein the foot 56 of the detent is moved out of engagementwith either shoulder 58 or 60 to permit bolt 22 to move to unlatchedposition.

An operating lever 70 is intermediately pivoted at 72 to the frame 18.One arm 74 of the lever includes a lateral tab 76 which is adapted to beengaged by a vertical push rod, not shown, of a conventional outsidepulltype handle 78, FIG. 1, for movement of the lever 70counterclockwise of the pivot 72 upon operation of the handle. The otherarm 80 of the lever extends outwardly through a vertical slot 82 in alateral side flange 84 of the frame 18. A remote bellcrank lever 86 ispivoted at 88 to the flange 84 and is engageable with a return bentflange 90 of arm 80 to thereby swing the lever 70 counterclockwise ofthe pivot 72. Lever 86 is conventionally connected by a rod 92, FIG. 1,with an inside remote handle 94, mounted on the inner panel of door 12.counterclockwise movement of the lever is controlled by a tab of frame18.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a depending offset arm 96 of the lever 70includes a lateral apertured tab 98. An intermediately flanged pin 100extends through the tab 98 and an aperture in the flange 36 and a coilcompression spring 102 seats between the tab 98 and the flange of thepin to continually bias the lever 70 clockwise of the pivot 72. Thelever is located against the bias of the spring 102 by the engagement ofthe arm 96 with a lateral lanced tab 104 of the frame 18.

An intermittent member 106 is pivoted at 108 to the arm 96 of lever 70and includes a lateral tab 110 having an extension 1 12.

A locking lever 114 includes lateral flanges 116 and 1 18. A lancedlateral tab 120 of flange 116 is received within a generallyhourglass-shaped opening, FIG. 2, in a flange 122 of frame 18 and flange118 is coaxially pivoted at 124 to the flange 36 to thereby pivotallymount the locking lever on the frame for movement between an unlockedposition, shown in FIG. 3 and in full lines in FIG. 2, and a lockedposition, indicated schematically in FIG. 2. A coil overcenter typetorsion spring 126 hooked between flanges 36 and 118 selectively andalternately biases the locking lever to'either position. The lockinglever is respectively located in unlocked and locked positions by theengagement of a shoulder 128 or 130 of flange 118 with a lateral tab 132of flange 36. The flange 116 of the locking lever is conventionallyconnected to an outside conventional key cylinder assembly 134, FIG. 1,and the flange 118 of the locking lever is conventionally connected by arod 136, FlG..1,.with an inside garnish button 138. The locking leverfurther includes a generally arcuate slot 140 which receives the tabextension 112 therethrough at all times. When the lever is in unlockedposition, slot 140 g nerally follows a path proscribed about the detentpivot 52.

The detent 50 includes an upwardly extending arm 142 which lies in thepath of the tab 1 10 of the intermittent member 106 when the lockinglever 114 is in the unlocked position as shown, in FIG. 3. Thus, uponcounterclockwise movement of the lever 70 by either the handle 78 or theremote handle 94, the engagement of the tab 110 with the detent arm 142will move the detent clockwise of pivot 52 to undetented position andpermit movement of the bolt 22 to unlatched position.

Should either the outside key cylinder assembly 134 or the garnishbutton 138 be operated to move the locking lever to its locked positionshown schematically in FIG. 2, the engagement of the lower edge of slot140 with tab extension 112 will swing the intermittent member 106counterclockwise of pivot 108 to its position indicated schematically inFIG. 2. Thus, tab 110 will now bypass the detent arm 142 should lever 70be moved counterclockwise of pivot 72.

Since the arcuate shape of the slot 140. is proscribed about the pivot52 when lever 114 is in unlocked position, the intermittent member 106is slightly rotated about the pivot 108 as it is translated by the lever70. This ensures full engagement of the tab 110 with the detent arm 142when the detent is released.

When the bolt 22 is in unlatched position, the detent foot 56 rests onthe edge of the bolt counterclockwise of the shoulder 60. Should thelocking lever 114 be moved to locked position when the bolt is inunlatched position, subsequent closing movement of the door will rotatethe bolt to either intermediate or fully latched position as the detent50 swings intermittently about the pivot 52. The locking lever remainsin its locked position.

Thus, this invention provides an improved vehicle body door lock.

lclaim:

1. A closure latch comprising, in combination, latch means movablebetween latched and unlatched positions, a detent swingable betweendetented and undetented positions with respect to the latch means andincluding an engageable portion, a locking lever swingab le about anaxis transverse of the detent axis between locked and unlocked positionsand including a slot therein generally following a path proscribed aboutthe detent axis when the locking lever is in unlocked position, aswingable operating lever adapted to be connected to inside and outsiderelease means, and an intermittent member swingably supported by theoperating leverv for translation thereby and swinging movement relativethereto, the intermittent member including a portion received within theslot of the locking lever and located in the path of movement pf theengageable portion of the detent when the locking lever is in unlockedposition, the slot in the locking lever guiding the portion of theintermittent member along such path upon translation of the intermittentmember by the operating lever to thereby swing the intermittent memberrelative to the operating lever and ensure engagement of theintermittent member portion with the detent engageable portion andmovement of the detent between detented and undetented positions.

2. A closure latch comprising, in combination, latch verse of the detentaxis between locked and unlocked positions and including a slot thereingenerally follow- 7 ing a path proscribed about the detent axis when thelocking lever is in unlocked position, an operating lever adapted to beconnected to inside and outside release meansand swingable about an axisspaced from the detent axis, the operating lever including an armextend-. ing oppositely of the detent am, and an intermittent memberswingably supported by the operating lever arm for translation by thelever and independent swing-. ing movement relative to the arm, theintermittent member including a portion received within the slot of thelocking lever for positioning of the intermittent member therebyrelative to the operating lever arm, the locking lever in unlockedposition locating the intermittent member generally laterally of theoperating lever arm and detent arm with the portion thereof located inthe path of movement of the detent arm, the slot in the locking leverguiding the portion of the intermittent member along such path and intogeneral lateral engagement with the detent arm upon translation of theintermittent member by the operating lever to thereby swing theintermittent member relative to the operating lever and ensureengagement of the in termittent member portion with the detentengageable portion and movement of the detent between detented andundetented positions.

3. A closure latch comprising, in combination, latch means movablebetween latched and unlatched positions, a detent swingable betweendetented and unde-' tented positions with respect to the latch means andincluding an engageable arm extending from the axis thereof, a lockinglever swingable about an axis transverse of the detent axis betweenlocked and unlocked positions and including a slot therein generallyfollowing a path proscribed about the detent axis when thelocking leveris in unlocked position, an operating lever adapted to be connected toinside and outside release means and swingable about an axis spaced fromthe detent axis, the operating lever including an arm extendingoppositely of the detent arm, andan intermittent member swingablysupported by the operating lever arm for translation by the lever andindependent swinging movement relative to the arm, the intermittentmember including a tab extending laterally to the detent arm and havingthe free. end portion thereof received within the locking lever slot forpositioning of the intermittent member thereby relative to the operatinglever arm, the locking lever in unlocked-position locating theintermittent member generally laterally of the operating lever arm anddetent arm with the free end portion of the tab located in the path ofmovement of the detent arm, the slot inthe locking lever guiding thefree end portion of the tab of the intermittent member along such pathand into general lateral engagement with the detent arm upon translationof the intermittent member by the operating lever to thereby swing theintermittent member relative to the operating lever and ensureengagement of the intermittent member portion with the detent engageableportion and movement of the detent between detented and un- 5 detentedpositions.

3 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,695 663 Dated Inventort's) Stanley D. Cockburn It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the title block insert the following:

- Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Michigan -v-.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of April 1973,

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.Attesting Officer

1. A closure latch comprising, in combination, latch means movablebetween latched and unlatched positions, a detent swingable betweendetented and undetented positions with respect to the latch means andincluding an engageable portion, a locking lever swingable about an axistransverse of the detent axis between locked and unlocked positions andincluding a slot therein generally following a path proscribed about thedetent axis when the locking lever is in unlocked position, a swingableoperating lever adapted to be connected to inside and outside releasemeans, and an intermittent member swingably supported by the operatinglever for translation thereby and swinging movement relative thereto,the intermittent member including a portion received within the slot ofthe locking lever and located in the path of movement of the engageableportion of the detent when the locking lever is in unlocked position,the slot in the locking lever guiding the portion of the intermittentmember along such path upon translation of the intermittent member bythe operating lever to thereby swing the intermittent member relative tothe operating lever and ensuRe engagement of the intermittent memberportion with the detent engageable portion and movement of the detentbetween detented and undetented positions.
 2. A closure latchcomprising, in combination, latch means movable between latched andunlatched positions, a detent swingable between detented and undetentedpositions with respect to the latch means and including an engageablearm extending from the axis thereof, a locking lever swingable about anaxis transverse of the detent axis between locked and unlocked positionsand including a slot therein generally following a path proscribed aboutthe detent axis when the locking lever is in unlocked position, anoperating lever adapted to be connected to inside and outside releasemeans and swingable about an axis spaced from the detent axis, theoperating lever including an arm extending oppositely of the detent arm,and an intermittent member swingably supported by the operating leverarm for translation by the lever and independent swinging movementrelative to the arm, the intermittent member including a portionreceived within the slot of the locking lever for positioning of theintermittent member thereby relative to the operating lever arm, thelocking lever in unlocked position locating the intermittent membergenerally laterally of the operating lever arm and detent arm with theportion thereof located in the path of movement of the detent arm, theslot in the locking lever guiding the portion of the intermittent memberalong such path and into general lateral engagement with the detent armupon translation of the intermittent member by the operating lever tothereby swing the intermittent member relative to the operating leverand ensure engagement of the intermittent member portion with the detentengageable portion and movement of the detent between detented andundetented positions.
 3. A closure latch comprising, in combination,latch means movable between latched and unlatched positions, a detentswingable between detented and undetented positions with respect to thelatch means and including an engageable arm extending from the axisthereof, a locking lever swingable about an axis transverse of thedetent axis between locked and unlocked positions and including a slottherein generally following a path proscribed about the detent axis whenthe locking lever is in unlocked position, an operating lever adapted tobe connected to inside and outside release means and swingable about anaxis spaced from the detent axis, the operating lever including an armextending oppositely of the detent arm, and an intermittent memberswingably supported by the operating lever arm for translation by thelever and independent swinging movement relative to the arm, theintermittent member including a tab extending laterally to the detentarm and having the free end portion thereof received within the lockinglever slot for positioning of the intermittent member thereby relativeto the operating lever arm, the locking lever in unlocked positionlocating the intermittent member generally laterally of the operatinglever arm and detent arm with the free end portion of the tab located inthe path of movement of the detent arm, the slot in the locking leverguiding the free end portion of the tab of the intermittent member alongsuch path and into general lateral engagement with the detent arm upontranslation of the intermittent member by the operating lever to therebyswing the intermittent member relative to the operating lever and ensureengagement of the intermittent member portion with the detent engageableportion and movement of the detent between detented and undetentedpositions.